The Apple does not fall far

DARLINGTON, Wis. — Reggie Kamps watched a cow named Apple walk off the farm when he was young. But thanks to science, a version of that same cow returned to the farm he operates with his wife, Krysty, and helped them earn this year’s Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder Award from the Wisconsin Holstein Association.

Kamps Rx Genetics established itself in the Red & White market in 2016, when they purchased KHW Regiment Apple B-Red-ETN, a clone of the original Apple.

“We get the credit for it, but Apple B was an amazing cow,” Reggie said.

Krysty detailed the impact that Apple B had on their herd.

“She had the pen in the back of our heifer shed and every single animal in the shed was her offspring,” Krysty said. “It was super cool to walk in there because everybody would be up and looking at you and then Apple B stands as this huge red cow in the back looking over everybody.”

Getting Apple genetics back at the Kamps farm was something that Reggie and Krysty knew they wanted when they made the decision to start working in high-end genetics. Seeing how Apple’s genetics were shaping the Red & White world made it even more pivotal to establish their herd.

“When we started with Apple B, we started by using proven bulls, both red and blacks, and she didn’t miss,” Reggie said.
“She made good offspring after good offspring after good offspring. Then we tried with the bulls that weren’t proven and she was still doing it. It was really cool to see, she just didn’t miss.”

The Kamps sell the top offspring and keep some of the others. They said it is a difficult decision, but in the world of genetics-focused cattle, it is an important one to continue  promoting Apple and Kamps Rx Genetics throughout the industry.

Now that their kids are old enough to be in the national Junior Holstein Association, deciding which animals to sell has become an even  harder decision.

“It’s hard to sell the good ones,” Krysty said. “You’re so proud of what you do, but to see other people develop what you believe in is the ultimate goal. We can’t bring 10 fall calves to a show, but we can sell a majority of them and still see them at the show.”

Krysty said seeing others do well with their genetics makes her family even more excited than if they had still owned them.

“Our first class winner at Expo was an animal we had sold,” Krysty said.  “We had competed for so long, and although we didn’t have her in our ownership, it was our farm name when she was announced over the microphone. That was a pretty cool moment.”

Kamps Rx Genetics focuses on show cattle genetics, which is something  Reggie and Krysty have long been passionate about. It is key to how they market their genetics and how they continue to shape their milking herd.

“Breeding cows off of numbers specifically has not been the game for us,” Krysty said. “I want to walk into the barn every morning and the cows be visually appealing standing there and feel successful in breeding decisions with something to show off.”

Reggie said that Kamps Rx Genetics focuses on developing animals that can dominate in the show ring and continue Apple’s prowess throughout the world of Red & Whites.

“We have a focus on type animals, quality animals and really trying to put a focus on red animals,” Reggie said. “That’s been our focus and we’re trying to blend that together.”

Krysty talked about the importance of blending their breeding strategies together.

“Breeding can get too extreme,” Krysty said. “If you want to keep the longevity of the animal, we have to really start to focus on more commercial strength. DPR (Daughter Pregnancy Rate) is a big one that we’re focusing on; if you can’t get them bred, they’re not going to last very long in the herd.”

She continued to discuss balancing those principles of type and productivity.

“If you get so extreme on type, you’re looking at these giant-framed cows and in addition sometimes (they) lack power,” Krysty said. “They’re not necessarily the ones that are going to be the best in the barn. You want to make an animal that’s able to survive and do well in a commercial setting, but at the same time, put all the right parts together to be successful in the show ring.”

Reggie and Krysty met as members of the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association, and both grew up showing cattle. The Kamps wanted genetics and show cattle to play a major role in their lives and have found that with Kamps Rx Genetics.

Currently, the Kamps partner with Reggie’s parents to milk 65 cows in a tiestall barn twice a day with hired help. Kamps Rx Genetics houses the show cattle, consisting mostly of heifers, with about five milking cows, depending on the time of year.

“Once we started working with Apple B, we quickly outgrew the shed we had built,” Krysty said. “The animals we house here are mainly on our show program and on a separate feeding program. The ones that we flush stay here as well.”

The couple each works off-farm jobs. Krysty is at Ederer’s Professional Dairy Service and Reggie works as a pharmacist at Hometown Pharmacy in Cuba City. Along with raising three children, their shared dairy farm backgrounds help them continue to manage and blend their professional and personal lives.

“We both grew up on dairy farms, and we both have the work ethic that if there’s something that needs to be done, it has to get done,” Reggie said. “There’s no set way of how to do it, or when we’re going to do it. You just find a way to fit it in and prioritize the steps along the way.”

Being honored by the Wisconsin Holstein Breeders Association is a distinction that Reggie and Krysty said they were unprepared for, but appreciate.

“Getting an award like this, it’s not something that you wake up every morning necessarily expecting or wanting, but it’s really cool to be acknowledged,” Krysty said. “There are so many great breeders in Wisconsin, especially young breeders, to even be mentioned as a candidate was humbling. From where we started, to establishing the brand name we have now, it’s been a very exciting experience.”